According to the latest reports from the Daily Star, Chelsea are set to make Eden Hazard the highest paid player in the Premier League.
Hazard wanted a move away from the Stamford Bridge in the summer to play for his dream club Real Madrid but Chelsea somehow held on to their talisman. (h/t Daily Star)
The Belgian still has two years remaining on his current contract which is supposed to keep him at the club till 2020 and the Blues are desperate to keep hold of him amidst interest from Real Madrid. However, things have changed and Hazard, who was reluctant to commit his long-term future to Chelsea, has stated that he is happy at the club and would like to finish his career at the Stamford Bridge. (h/t Daily Star)
On the wake of Hazard’s statement, the Chelsea hierarchy has decided to offer a new £350,000-a-week contract before Christmas, which would make the Belgian the highest paid player in the Premier League. ( h/t Daily Star)
As things stand, the new deal will see Hazard go past the current highest earners in the Premier League, Alexis Sanchez, who earns a basic 315,000-a-week and Mesut Ozil, who earns a basic 306,000-a-week.
It wouldn’t be unfair to say that much of Chelsea’s success this season has been due to the exploits of Eden Hazard. After powering Belgium to a third-place finish at the World Cup in Russia, Hazard has carried his brilliant form into the ongoing season of the Premier League where he has already racked up seven goals and three assists from nine games.
To be honest, Hazard’s goals have allowed Maurizio Sarri settle down very easily at his new club, with Chelsea being the only team to remain unbeaten across all competitions so far.
The 27-year-old has been Chelsea’s most consistent performer for a quite a few seasons now and he will be expected to play a key role once again if Chelsea are to have any chance of posting a significant challenge for the title.
Chelsea have been hit hard by Alvaro Morata’s poor form. The Spaniard has continued to underwhelm with some lacklustre displays this season and the Blues will need a quality centre-forward to help out Hazard in the final third. Hazard’s goals have given Chelsea respite amidst Morata’s disappointing form and things could have been a lot more difficult for the Blues had hazard not stepped his game up just at the right time.
Maurizio Sarri’s free-flowing possession-based football moves into the opposition’s half with short, quick and incisive passing, has brought the best out of the Belgian maestro. Sarri focuses on patient build-up play and relies on subtle tactical movements in the final third to create opportunities, something that seems to suit Hazard very well. So much so, he is already in a pole position to win the Golden Boot this season.
It is needless to say that he is Chelsea’s indispensable weapon in the final third and a player of his calibre can change the game in a few seconds. In other words, he doesn’t necessarily need ninety minutes to make an impact.
If Hazard wins the Golden Boot this term, it will do a world of good to Chelsea’s chances of winning the Premier League. Quite clearly, Chelsea will do everything to keep him at the club until his contract expires and possibly beyond that. They certainly shouldn’t mind shelling out 350,000-a-week for that matter.